Box blank folding mechanism



Feb. 4, 1936. M. H. SIDEBOTHAM BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor 7776601321 E.

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BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 3: I 19412 11502 melviflfl. 5130 6 fioifiam 1936- M. H. SIDEBOTHAM BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 777650137717. $110 6 oiim /m aiffiorfla y KEN 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 .134 1162152)? 777660131? fi izfiekfiim M. H. SIDEBOTHAM BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1954 Feb. 4, 1936.

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BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2. 1934 9 sheds-sheet 5 7778601777 17. Sidebofimm moi"? 1936- v M. H. SIDEBOTHAM 2,029,394

BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 I]? venlor 77781111377 If. fidebofiha/m Feb. 4, 1936. M. H. SIDEBOTHAM BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM 9 Shee'ts-Sheet 7 Fi led July 2, 1954 Z 77 veni'o 7' lair 1. E 51276 6063mm 1785- 1936. M. H. SIDE BOTHAM BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM 9 Sheets-5heet 8 Filed July 2, 1934 it QE IHIHIIIIIIIIIH I "I :unlmlinil rm m i w 7 1w 1 Wm m w m Qh Feb. 4, 1936. M. H. SlDEBOTHAM BOX BLANK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 7 .m mfim M QM W u l/ 1 0.6 5 Q m 2 0 Q Qu a l a L o m z ou Q T 5m g /H/ mew 4 .3 v). 3 I 6 w wuw @w wk. 1. gmhwv Nu Mm MM. y 4/1 wv a r Patented Feb. 4, 1936 BOX BLANKFOLDING DIECHANISM Melvin n. 'Si dehotham, West Newton, Mass., as-

' signor to Specialty Automatic Machine Com pany, Medford,I a-Ss., a corporation chusetts of Massa- Application July 2, 1934, Serial No. 733,353

. 27 Claims.

This invention relates to themanufacture of paper or paste-board boxes, and has particular reference to the production of corrugated paper cartons in flat condition with the opposite edges of the blanks in abutting relationship, and with said edges heldtogether by adhesively secured tape.

Various attempts have been made to produce machines for folding corrugated paiper blanks in a manner to bring opposite edges thereof into juxtaposition and apply adhesive tape to such edges, but so far as I am aware, none have been a commercial success. Suchmachines of a prior type which act to effect the folding progressively,

as by means of inclined rods or twisted belts, the blanks travelling while being folded, seldom bring the edges of the blanks into accurate abutting relationship because the stiff nature of the blanks and the irregularity of their surfaces cause a crowding back of the fold lines out of straight lines. In other machines for similar purposes the structure has been such that it has been impossible to adjust the machines quickly to adapt them for operation on blanks of different shapes and sizes.

One of the objects of my present invention is to produce a machine of the character referred to in which the blanks are forwarded from the supply feed at a speed fast enough to effect rapid production, but in which each blank comes to rest for a short period while its opposite edges are being folded.

Another object is to provide a machine for folding corrugated paper blanks having means for crushing the blanks along the lines where the folds are to be made, to reduce the thickness of the blanks along those lines and thereby aid in controlling the folds and causing them to be even and straight along the crease lines.

Another object is to provide a machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, in which the folding is effected by members which are hinged so close to the points where the creased lines of the blanks are located that the said folding members, as they swing up and over and down, will hug closely to the sections of the blanks that are being folded.

1 Another object is to provide means for preventing backward drag of the marginal or side portions of the blanks, serving especially advantageously when the blanks are wider than they are long;

Another object is to provide an improved taping mechanism controlled by an automatic clutch so that when the edge of a blank passes a given folder arms.

point, the tape feeding rolls are thrown into operation and the tape is fed out at the same speed as the speed of travel of the folded blank, is laid on the seam in the proper position, and cut to the proper length. 5

Another object is to provide a machine of the character described, with improved supply feeding mechanism, in which the blanks are fed from the bottom of a pile in a hopper, to intermittentlydriven blank-carrying chains and ensure proper engagement of the pushing members carried by the chains with the rear edges of the blanks. With the above-mentioned objects in view, and others hereinafter described, my invention consists in the construction of the machine and the 5 combinations of elements thereof, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a right-hand side elevation of the machine.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating successive conditions of the work done by the machine.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the machine partly broken out..

Figure 6 Ban end elevation from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 7 represents a section on line 1-1 of Figure 5, on a larger scale.

Figure 8 represents a section on line 88 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 represents a section on line 9-9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 represents a section on line Ill-l0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 represents a section on line I l-ll of Figure 9.

Figure 12 represents a section on line l2--l2 of Figure 8.

Figure 13 is a detail view illustrating the action of the rolls which press or crush the blanks along their fold lines.

Figure 14 represents a section on line l4-ll of Figure 8 on a larger scale.

Figure 15 represents'a section on line i5-l5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 represents a section on line lG-IG of Figure '1 on a larger scale.

Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 16 but illustrating parts in other positions.

Figure 18 represents a section on line l8-l8 g of Figure 1 on a larger scale.

Figure 19 is a perspective view of one of the Figure 20 is a. perspective view of one of the carrier links. a

Figure 21 is a left-hand elevation of a portion of the machine.

Figure 22 is a perspective detail of the clutch latch.

Figure 23 represents a section on line 23-23 of Figure 21.

Figure 24 represents a section on line 24-44 of Figure 21. I

Figure 25 represents a section online 25-25 of Figure 1.

Figure 26 represents a section on line 26-29 of Figure 28.

Figure 2'7 represents a section on line :21-2'| of Figure 23.

Figure 28 represents a section on line of Figure 5 on a larger scale.

Figure 29 represents a section on line of Figure 26 on a larger scale.

Similar reference characters indicate the same orsimilar parts in all of the views.

The frame of the machine includes main side members 30, and the main shaft 3| (Figs. 1, 5

and 23) is mounted in suitable bearings therein. Carried by the shaft 3| is a pulley 32 for a driving belt, suitable clutch mechanism being employed to connect the pulley to said shaft or disconnect it therefrom. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 3| is a hand wheel 33. A hand lever 34 controls the clutch.

Near the other end of the shaft 3| is a pinion 35 meshing with a. gear 36 carried by a shaft 31 parallel with the shaft 3| and mounted in suitable bearings supported by the frame members 30 (Figs. 5, 23 and 28).

A sprocket 38 carried by the shaft 31 engages a. sprocket chain 39 which, in turn, drives a sprocket 40 carried by a lower shaft 4| and a. sprocket 42 carried by an upper shaft 93. The parts which are operated by the shafts 4| 93, will be described hereinafter.

Contained in a casing 44 (Figs. 21, 23, 24) is mechanism similar to that illustrated and described in Letters Patent No. 1,393,219 issued October 11, 1921, to Geo. P. Hohl, said mechanism being for the purpose of transmitting rotary motion from the shaft 31.to a shaft which actuates the blank-carrying chains presently described, so that the blanks which are fed to the chains will be pushed along in an intermittent manner and will come to .rest at certain timed periods. This mechanism similar to the said Hohl patent includes a gear 46 eccentrically carried by the shaft 31, a gear 41, and an intermediate gear 48. The gear 41 is carried by a shaft 49. The three gears 46, 41, 48, are held in. mesh by compound links 50, 5|. Due to the driving gear 46 being mounted eccentrically on the shaft 31, a swinging motion as well as a rotary motion is imparted to the gear 48, forcing it to swing partially around shaft 49. When the swing of the eccentrically mounted gear 46 occurs, the

swinging motion imparted to the gear 49 so affects the rotary motion of the shaft 49 as to cause said shaft to vary in speed from zero, up to a high speed, and then slow down again. As will be explained, this practically controls the speed of operation of all parts of the machine. It is to be understood however that any other mechanism for variably controlling the speed of operation may be substituted for such variable-speed mechanism as illustrated in Figures 21 and 24.

Carried by the shaft 49, at its other end (Fig. 23) is a. gear 5| meshing with a gear 52 of a shaft 53. Said shaft carries two sprockets 54 and an intermediate sprocket 55. In practice, however, I prefer to include two intermediate sprockets 55. r

Mounted on the sprockets 54 are chains 56 (Figs. 1,5, 21, 28) carrying individual blankpushing lugs 51. The other ends of, the chains 56 are supported by idly-mounted sprockets 58 (Fig. 7) under that portion of the machine which may be termed the entrance end because the blanks are fed to the chains at that end as will be described.

The upper stretches of the pushing chains 56 are caused to travel in a uniform plane by guide strips 59 having side walls 68 the inner faces of which are longitudinally grooved to receive lugs 61 (Fig. 20) of the pushers 51, whereby said pushers are guided in accurate paths.

The guides 59 are supported at suitable intervals by fixed cross bars 62, and are laterally adjustable thereon by mechanism to be described, to provide for operation on difierent widths of blanks.

The cut and creased blanks a of the type illustrated in Figure 2 are supplied singly and successively to the chains 56 by feeding mechanism which will be described hereinafter, and each blank that is then pushed along by the lugs 51 travels at diminishing speed and stops at an intermediate point of travel, to be folded to the condition illustrated in Figure 3, and then resumes accelerated speed. Such changes of speed are due to the mechanism of the type explained in connection with Figures 21 and 24, contained in the casing 44.

Each blank pushed along, first passes between rolls which serve to somewhat crush it along both sides of the two creased lines on which it is to be folded, as illustrated in Figure 13. For this pur-. pose there are two lower rolls 63 (Figs. 8 and 12) and two upper rolls 64. As illustrated in Figure 13, the rolls 63, 64, are of such width as to effect compression along both sides of the previously formed creases a in the blanks (Fig. 2). The

upper rolls are idly mounted in suitable bearings supported by a duplex cross bar 65, and each lower roll 63 is fixed to a stud shaft 66 mounted in a bracket 61 supported by one of the chainguide strips 59 (Figs. '7 and 8).

Each stud shaft 66, at its other end, has a sprocket 68 (Figs. 8 and 12) engaged by a chain 69 which runs over aguide sprocket 10 and is driven by a sprocket 1| (Figs. 1 and 9) carried by the same stud shaft which has the sprocket 58. One of the stud shafts 66 also has a pinion 12 (Fig. 8) engaging a pinion 13 carried by a shaft 14 mounted in suitable brackets 15 and having at one end a cam 16 the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

At about the mid-width of the machine (Figs. 5 and'8) a block 11 is fixedly supported by the duplex cross bar 65. Right and left hand screw rods 18 have their inner ends mounted in the block 11 and their outer ends in the frame members 30. The two screw rods 18 engage threaded apertures in two blocks 19 which carry the pressing rolls.64 heretofore described, said blocks 19 being thereby adjustable along the duplex rod 65.

Secured to the bottoms of the blocks 19 (Fig. 7) r and extending along the machine above and close to the blank-carrying chains 56, are two thin strips of metal. The two strips 89 overlie the side walls 60 of the chain-guiding strips 59 (Figs. 5, 8, 16 and 17) and are thereby held in proper positions although their ends are free. The outer crushed lines efiected byv the rolls 64 (Fig. 13)

hereinbefore described. The fact that the crushed lines are wider than the creased lines of the blanks facilitates accurate control of the lines of fold by the thin edges of the strlps 88. The function of said strips 88 is illustrated by Figures 16 and 17.

The mechanism which folds each blank as illustrated by the curved dash-lines in Figure 2, to convert it to the condition illustrated by Figure 3 will now be described.

Mounted in bearings provided in lugs projecting from the outer faces of the side walls 58 of the guides for the blank-carrying chains, are

two rock shafts 8| (Figs. 1, 5, 16, 17, 19, 21) Each shaft 8| carries arms 82 clamped thereto, said arms having folder acting wing plates 83 the edges of which that act on the blanks being slightly curved to act smoothly in the blanks.

Each shaft also has a pinion 84 (Fig. 18) meshing with a rack 85 vertically'slidable in ways in a bracket 86 secured to a chain guideway 59, the lower end of the rack being connected by a link 81 with an arm 88 of a rock shaft 89. Said shaft 89 also has an arm 98 (Fig. 1) carrying a roll 9| and acted upon by a cam 92 carried by shaft 93.

-"- A spring 94 is illustrated to effect return movement of the arm 98, but obviously the roll 9| might enter a cam groove in one face of a disk carried by the shaft 93.

, The rocking of the shaft 89 effects, through its two arms 88, a simultaneous swinging movement of the folders 82, 83, from the positions shown in Figure 16 to the positions shown in Figure 1''! and back again. The complete inward and return movements are very short in time, and the inward movement occurs while the blank is momentarily at rest. -Therefore there is no forward urging of the blanks during the actual folding operation such as is effected by prior machines which fold progressively; that is, which push the blanks along while portions thereof are being folded. In such machines there are usually some parts or members which cause a frictional backward drag on the portions of the blanks that are being folded, and which therefore tend to prevent the meeting of the edges of said folded portions in close parallel relationship. To aid in effecting such parallel relationship, and attain-the production of a square fold, I provide the following structure.

Rigidly supported by two cross bars 95 indicated in Figure 1, is a horizontal compound T- bar'96 (Figs. '7, 16, 1'7, 21, 28) which, by means of stiff lugs 91, fixedly supports an aliner and separator 98 for the edges of the blanks which approach each other as they are folded. In practice, said aliner is so supported that it may be laterally adjusted to ensure its lower edge, which is thin, being in the position where the edges of the particular blanks being folded, are to meet. While each blank is momentarily stationary, its

side portions are folded on its crease lines a.

(Fig. 2) to bring its edges a into close relationship (Fig. 3). The aliner 98 also acts to separate said edges from each other to prevent them from overlapping if ablank that has been inaccurately cut and creased is being operated upon.

To prevent the edges 11 from lifting when the wing plates 83 rise from the positions shown in Figure 17, the aliner and separator 98 has flat spring strips 99 secured to both faces thereof, to serve as catches for the folded edges of the blanks. The aliner is provided with openings I88 (Fig. 7) over which the lower ends of the flexible catches extend and into which the lower portions of the catches may be pushed when the edges of the blanks pass them to snap under them.-

As illustrated by Figures 16 and 1'7, accurate folding is further ensured by the guide strips 88 which are fixed in such lateral positions that their thin outer edges are in alinement with the crease lines of the blanks on which the described folding is effected. Whcn said folding is finished, during the temporary stopping of each blank, the timing of operation is such that as the folder plates 83 start to rise from the position shown in Figure 17, the blank-pushing chains 56 begin to travel and then move at accelerated speed toward the taping mechanism'to be described. To prevent the edges a from rising materially from the Figure 3 position, said edges pass first under the inclined portions IDI and then under the horizontal portions I82 of guide strips attached to both side faces of the aliner 98 (Figs. 1, '7, 28).

As has been described, the shaft 53 carries, between the sprockets 54, an intermediate sprocket 55 (Fig. 23), but in practice I preferably employ two such sprockets. Although the drawings illustrate but one such sprocket 55, and a chain I83 driven thereby, the illustration of the one will suflice for the two. Each of such two chains carries individual'pushing lugs I84 and travels to and is supported by an idly mounted sprocket I85 (Fig. 7) located at a point where the pushers I84 will engage the blanks after leaving the feeding mechanism to be described and just before said blanks pass under the aliner 98. The purpose of such chains and lugs will now be described.

Sometimes there is a tendency of the free ends of the blanks to drag back while the blanks are being advanced by the pushers 51 of the main chains 56. Bythe term free ends, I means those end portions of the blanks the edges of which are to be brought into juxtaposition when folded. The lugs I84 of the supplemental chains I93 are in lateral alinement with the lugs 51 of the main chains 56 (Figs.- 5. and 21). This provides a series of pushing lugs some of which engage the rear edges of the bodies of the blanks and other simultaneously engage the rear edges of the top or free end portions of the blanks when the latter are folded over to abutting relationship. Consequently, if there is any such friction of the edges of the blank with the sides of the aliner 98 as the folded blanks are moving along, as might cause a backward drag, the laterally alined lugs I84, 51,

ensure forward movement to the taping mechanism in .squared up proper condition. To secure this result, it is essential that the lugs of all of the chains shall be independent of each other.

The taping mechanism will now be described.

Mounted on the cross bars (Figs. 23 and 28) is a bracket I86 having a vertical wall portion I81. An apertured lug of the bracket is engaged by a screw rod I88 to effect lateral adjustment of the bracket and all,members carried thereby. Secured to the wall I81 and rising therefrom is an upright I89 carrying a spindle'for a reel III! of adhesive tape 1). v

Also secured to the bracket wall is a tape:

storage box or casing III (Figs. 1, 21, 23, 27, 28 From the reel, the tape passes between two rolls H2, H3, the upper one being carried by a stud shaft II4 mounted in bearings in a wall portion I01 and is so connected to it that when the bracket I06 and its wall portion I01 are adjusted laterally of the machine, the said shaft I2I moves in the direction of its length. Said shaft enters a tubular shaft I22 and is slidable thereinand has spline connections therewith. The tubular shaft is mounted in bearings afforded by brackets I23 rising from a crossbar 95, and at its outer end has a sprocket I24 connected by a chain I25 (Fig. 28). with a sprocket I26 carried by the shaft 53. p 1

The lower roll II3 (Fig. 27) is idly mounted in an arm, or pair of arms, I21, pivoted at I28 to the box II I and having a spring I29 connected to its outer end the tendency of which is to so hold the roll II 3 against the driven roll-I I2 as to effect feeding of the tape b. A link I30 connects the pivoted arm I21 with the armature .of an electric magnet I3I the circuit of which includes a mercury switch I 32 of well-known type. Said switch I32 is mounted on a lever beam I33 of light material which is pivoted at I34 in the box 'I I I So long as the lower roll H3 is held by the spring I29 in the position shown in Figure 27, the tape 1) continues to be drawn from the supply reel and is fed into the storage box II I and accumulates on the beam I33 until enough has been deposited thereon to overbalance the weight of the mercury switch I32 which is adjustable toward or from the pivot I34 to meet such conditions as differences in weight of selected grades oftape.

The reason for the employment of themechanism just described (Fig. 27) isto enable tape to be drawn intermittently along for cutting and applying to the foldedblank as presently described, without having the correctness of the length of sections cut interfered with by such causes as slipping of the feed rolls and the gradually diminishing size of the supply roll of tape. It will now be understood that the preservation of a light accumulation of tape on the beam I33,

- enables tape to be drawn out from the storage box intermittently as presently described, without encountering any-such periodic resistance as might interfere with the accuracy of the lengths to be cut therefrom for application to the folded blanks. I c

When the desired amount of tape accumulates on the beam, its weight causes the beam to swing down, and the mercury switch I32 closes the circuit of the magnet I3I so that a downward pull is exerted on the link I30 and the lower roll H3 is pulled away from the driven friction roll H2, and feed from the supply roll into the storage box. immediately ceases. Then when successive cutting of sections of tape reduces the accumu-' lation in the box, the beam rises, thecircuit is broken by the switch I32, and the spring I29 causes the roll II3 to again co-act with the roll II2in feeding some more tape into the storage box.

From'the box I, the tape leads over a roll I35, then down and'under a guide strip I36 (Figs. '28 and 29) then between upper and lower rolls I31, I38, then under a cutting knife I39,

and then between rolls I40, I, one ofwhich moistens the under surface of each strip section that is cut off by the knife. All of the rolls and knife members are supported by an extension portion of the bracket wall I01. A water holding bath I42 into which the roll I dips is supported by an arm I43 extending down from the bracket I06 (Fig. 26). In practice the roll I is felt covered. 7

As shown in Figure 29, a strip I44, supported by the transverse strip I36, extends down between the feed rolls I31, I38, the upper one "of which has a circumferential groove to accommodate said strip I44 the purpose of which is to facilitate the proper introduction of the end of a tape that is being installed in the machine.

The upper,roll I31 is carried by the'shaft I54 which is driven intermittently, and the extent of each partial rotary movement is controlled by mechanism that will be presently described, said mechanism including means for adjusting it to provide forcutting the tape into accurate lengths according to the sizes of the containers (Fig. 4) being produced. From the rolls I31, I38 (Fig. 29) the tape b passes between transverse shearing members one of which consists of a knife I39 pivoted at I45 (Fig. 23) to the bracket I06 and connected by a link I46 to a lever I41 pivoted at I48 to the.

connected to the other end of the lever. Between the said end and the pivot I48, the lever has a roll I50 contacting with a cam disk I5I carried by the shaft I2I, said disk having a recess, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 21, into which the roll I50 can drop momentarily to permit the spring I49 to so actuate the lever I41 as to effect a quick operation of the lmife I39.

. The tape-moistening roll MI is rotated in the proper direction by a crossed belt I52 (Fig. 28) mounted on a small pulley carried by the shaft of said roll and a larger pulley I53 carried by a shaft'l54 (Fig. 23) mounted in the side frame members and having a pinion I55 mounted on one end. An intermediate pinion I56 (Fig. 21)

meshes with the pinion I55 and a gear I51 of a shaft I58 which' is driven as hereinafter described.

The water bath I 42 is supplied-with water by suitable means such as a bottle I59 (Figs. 25 and 26) supported by a bracket I60 attached to the wall I01, a pipe I6I connecting the bottle and the said bath. Of course in practice, suitable well-known means not necessary to illustrate, are employed to maintain the water at proper level in the bath.

The blanks, in the folded condition illustrated in Figure 3, are supplied by the'pushing chains in time with the feed and cutting of the tape,

' and each moistened section of tape is delivered onto a folded blank in the position illustrated in Figure 4. The so-assembled tape sections and folded blanks immediately pass to suitable pressing and stacking mechanisms. I In the drawings I illustrate, without :being limited thereto, upper and lower belts I62, I63, between which the folded blanks, with tape sections attached thereto, pass.

The upper belt I62 passes arounda pulley I64 carried by the shaft I58, and the lower belt passes around a pulley I65 of a lower shaft I66 (Figs. 21, 28). The two shafts I 58, I66, are provided with intermeshing gears, and the belts are I I 2,029,304 kept under proper tension and are subject to suitable pressing rolls carried by suitable frames I61.

" consequently no liability'of moistened tape secline with the axis of the pin I88 is a roll I8I. 80

tions clogging up the machine. Said mechanism will now be described:-

Referring to Figures 21, and 2-3, a vertically slidable rod I68 is mounted in guiding brackets I69 projecting from the. frame of the machine and has a roll I18 riding on a cam "I carried by a short shaft I12 having a sprocket I18 engaged by a chain I14 which is driven by a sprocket I15 carried by shaft 81. Said chain also engages a sprocket of shaft 98. The three'shafts 31, 93 and I12 are therefore driven constantly at uniform speed. The slide I68 is not permanently connected to anything else, but its upper end has a recess I16 (Fig. 22).

Above the slide I68 and in line with it, is a slide I11 one of the guides for which is shown at I18. Pivoted to the lowerend of the slide I11 is a link-shaped lug I19 a cross pin I88 of which is adapted to fit the recess I16 of the lower slide at certain times as will be described. In A fiat spring I82 secured to the guide lug I18 tends to maintain the link lug I19 in its relative position shown in Figure 21, but, as will be explained, said lug is swingable away from alinement with the slide I68.

The upper endof the slide I11 is connected by a link I83 with the middle of a toggle I84 which connects the frame wall with the lower end of a lever I85 pivoted at I86 to a fixed bracket, a spring I81 being connected to the lower end of said lever. The upperend of said lever is yoke-shaped and engages pins projecting from the hub I86 of a disk I89 splined to the shaft I54 so as to be ro-- tatable therewith but shiftable along it. The disk I89 has a friction facing I98, and the constantly. driven pinion I55 which is free on the shaft I54, has a disk I9I fixed to it which coacts with the friction-faced disk I89 as a clutch.

To actuate the swinging lug I19, at times, out

of alinement with the slide I68, a small rock shaft-or rod I92 is mounted in the frame. Its outer end has an arm I93 extending past and adjacent to the roll I8I of the lug I19. Its inner end has an arm I94 to whicha spring I95 is connected, and another arm I96 connected by a link I91 to an arm I98 of a slender rock shaft I99. At the inner end of the rock shaft, near the midwldth of the machine, isa finger 288 which normally lies with its upper portion in the path of I the folded blanks being carried to the taping mechanism by the pushing chains. 7

The slide I11 has a roll 28I acted upon by a cam 282 carried by the shaft 53. I

The mechanism just described is for the purpose of automatically controlling 'thetape feed so that the tape is fed and a proper length thereof of is 'cut off, only if a folded blank is approaching latter occupies the position shown in Figure '21. Then the slide I68 is pushed up by the action of the revolving cam I1I, resulting in forcing the slide I11 up and, through the mechanism described, so actuating the clutch member I89 as to result in feeding the tape. Later downward movement of the slide I11, is eifected by the cam 282 acting on the roll 28I of said slide I11.

In order to properly feed the stiff corrugated paper blanks to attain accurate folding by the mechanism that has been described, I have provided the improved means which will now be described.

Supporting the margins of the lower one of a pile of blanks a are strips 284. An intermediate strip 285 (Figs. 5, 6 and 8) supports the middle portions of the pile. The strips 284 are carried by the inner faces of two upright walls 286 and extend over one of the cross bars 62. Hub portions 281 of the walls have threaded apertures fitting a right and left hand threaded shaft 288 for effecting adjustment of the said walls which maintain the pile of blanks between them.

A gate stri'p289 (Figs. 6, '1, l2 and 14), below the lower end of which the bottom blank is to be fed by the pushing chains, is slidably mounted between ways 2| 8 secured to one of the cross bars 65. Its vertical position is adjustably effected by a pin 2 (Figs. 12 and 14) rotatably mounted in a lug 2 I2 of the gate strip and having a threaded lower end entering a threaded socket in a fixed cross bar 2I3. Said screw is for adjusting the block 2I5 up so that its serrated face projects.

slightly from the inner face of the strip 289.

The upper end of the slide 2I4 has a lug 2I8 which receives a pin 2I9 of an arm 228 of a rock shaft 22I supported by brackets 222 (Figs. 8 and 14) secured to cross bar 65. The rock shaft has I another arm 223 (Figs. 8 and 12) connected by a link 224 with a lever 225 pivotally supported at 22 and having a roll 221 engaging a cam 228 car'- ried by the shaft 14. The said cam, through the parts just described, causes the slide 2I4 to reciprocate vertically so that the serrated pusher foot 2I5 acts on the lower blanks to depress the forward edges thereof to ensure the lower-most blank being in the plane of the .opening or gate below the strip 289. While similar mechanism has been employed in feeds for other types of box blanks than corrugated sheets, it is important in connection with the mechanism now to be described, for acting on the rear edges of the blanks, because of the natural tendency of corrugated paper to deflect from a flat plane.

To effect downward urging of the rear edges of the corrugated paper blanks, to ensure positive proper engagement thereof by the pushers 51 of the carrier chains, I employ two rolls 228 (Figs. 5, 6, 9, 18 and 11), preferably of elastic material such as rubber, and peripherally ribbed or roughened. Said rolls are located directly above the line of travel of the pushers 51. Each is adjustable forward or back to suit the sizes of blanks to be operated upon. Both are alike and a description of one will suflice for both.

Each roll 229 is mounted on and between two collars 230, 23l, (Fig. 11) carried by a shaft 232 mounted in bearings 233, 234, of a horizontally U-shaped portion 235 of a bracket 236 mounte'd'on a rib 231 secured to a wall member 60. 5

One end of the shaft 232 enters a screw pl 238 between which and the collar 23l is a spring 239. By adjusting the plug 238, the collar 23l can be caused to exert more or less yielding pressure against the roll 229 to vary the frictional grip of said roll between the two collars 231i, 230.

To provide for holding the roll 229 in a position forward or back on the rib 231 of the wall member. 60, to suit the size of the blanks operated upon, a stem 240 extends through the bracket 236, said stem having a threaded inner end engaging a gripper block 24L By means of a handle stick 242 carried by the outerend of the stem 240, the block 2 is caused to grip the upper flange of the fixed rib 231 and so maintain the bracket 236, 235, and the members carried thereby in desired position along the rib A sleeve or tubular shaft 243 .is mounted rotatably on the stem 240 and has a pinion 244 and a sprocket 245. The pinion 244 meshes with a pinion 246 secured to .the shaft 232, and the teeth of the sprocket 245 engage the chain 69.

Therefore the travel of the two chains 69 effects,

through the gearing described, frictional rotation of the two. rolls 229 in a direction to urge the rear edges of the blanks downward for the purpose hereinbefore described.

To aid in maintaining the blanks in the proper condition of a pile, especially when the blanks are beingdeposited in place to be fed, each bracket.-235 has secured to it an upwardly projecting guide strip 2.41.

, The cam 202 (Figs. 21 and 23) which acts on I the roll 20l of the slide 1, is carried by one end of a shaft 248 extending through the tubular shaft 53 and having at its other end a hand, wheel 249 (Fig. 1) and a slotted segment 250. By means of said segment, the inner shaft 248 can be rotatably adjusted relatively to the tubular shaft 53, so that the cam 202 of shaft 248 will act on roll 201 of the upper slide I" to stop the feed and efiect cutting of the tape at the proper time. That is,

said action of the cam 202 effects releasing of the clutch I90, l9l. V It is to be. understood that, during each cycle of operation, the cam l'll, acting at the proper somewhataskew. To effect perfect folding it is desirable to employ supplemental means, such as guides 25l (Figs. 1 and 7) having inclined faces, said guides being carried by a strip or strips 252 supported by the T bar 96, said strips being slotted to enable the guides to be accurately adjusted.

so that, when a blank is being folded the rear edges of its folded portions will glide down the inclined faces of the guides and be slightly urged forward if necessary.

As the operations of the different parts of the 'machine have been described in connection with the descriptions of the structure thereof, a descrlp'tion ofthe operation of the machine as a whole is unnecessary. 7

justable, most of them by right and left hand screws, as to provide for acting on blanks of widely different sizes or shapes. As no claims thereto are made herein, detailed description thereof is unnecessary although the necessary parts are illustrated.

Most of the necessary gearing, as by shafts with sprockets, and connecting chains, has been described; but some of such gearing illustrated is so obvious as to need-no specific description, especially in view of the fact that other specific types for gearing the operative parts together might be employed.

Having now described my invention, I claim:-

1. A blank folding machine having carriers for the blanks, folders for turning side portions of the blanks toward each other, and mechanism for causing the carriers to travel at diminishing speed followed by accelerated speed with intermediate stoppages to temporarily arrest movement of the blanks during operative movement of the folders. l

2.A blank folding machine having a supply feed, traveling carrier mechanism for "forwarding blanks at high speed from the supply feed, means for intermittently slowing down and arresting the speed of travel of said carrier mechanism, and folders in position to operate on the eluding diminishing and accelerated speeds with intervening timed periods of rest, and folders in position to act on each blank during its period of rest.

5. A blank folding machine having carriers for pushing blanks along at varying speeds including diminishing and accelerated speeds with intervening timed periods of rest, folders for bringing the side edges of each blank into abutting relationship during its period of rest, and means for adhesively securing a section of tape across said. edges.

6. A machine for folding creased blanks, said machine having blank-pushing mechanism, a pair of rock shafts mounted at opposite sides of the pushing mechanism and having folders for converting the blanks from fiat to folded form,

and means for imparting to the blank-pushing mechanism diminishing and accelerated speeds of travel with intervening timed periods of rest during the operation of said folders.

'7. A machine for folding creased blanks, said machine having blank-pushing mechanism, a pair of rock shafts mounted at opposite sides of the pushing mechanism and having folders for swinging side portions of the blanks up and inward toward each other, a stationary aliner in position for the edges of the inwardly folded portions to contact therewith, and means for causing the blank-pushing mechanism 'to travel at diminishing and accelerated speeds with. in-' tervening timed periods of rest during the oper-'- ation of said folders.

8. A blank-folding machine having a stationary vertical member for alining meeting edges of folded blanks, means for causing blanks to pass under said aliner, and folding mechanism for swinging side portions of the blanks to cause the.

, thereof toward said plate, the said plate having yieldable means for catching the said edge portions.

10. A folding machinehaving means for causing blanks to travel, a stationary vertical plate under which the blanks pass, and means for folding the blanks and swinging edge portions thereof toward said plate,- the said plate having yieldable means for catching the said edge portions, and also having guide strips on its side faces to prevent said edge'portions of the, blanks from rising when the blanks continue movement after being folded.

11. A machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, said machine having a support for a pile of blanks, chains provided with individual pushin lugs for engaging the rear edge of each successive bottom blank and carry it through the machine, folding mechanism for bringing the, side edges of each blank close together while at an intermediate point of its travel, and individual travelling lugs between the first mentioned lugs for engaging the rear edges of the folded side portions of the blanks.

12. A machine for.folding corrugated paper blanks, said machine having a pair 'of main chains provided with individual pushing/lugs for engaging the rear edges of the bodies of the blanks, means for foldinglside portions of'th'e blanks onto the bodies thereof, and an intermediate pair of shorter chains provided with individual pushing lugs for engaging the rear edges of the folded side portions of the blanks.

13. A machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, said machine having a pair of main chains provided with individual pushing lugs for engaging the rear edges of the bodies of the blanks, means for folding side portions of the blanks onto the bodies thereof, and an intermediate pair of shorter chains provided with individual pushing lugs for engaging the rear edges of the folded side portions of the blanks, the lugs of all of the chains being in lateral alinement.

14. A machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, said machine having a pair of main chains provided with individual pushing lugs for engaging the rear edges of the bodies ofthe blanks, means for folding side portions of the blanks onto the bodies thereof, and an intermediate pair of shorter chains provided with individual pushing lugs for engaging the rear edges of the folded side portions of the blanks, the lugs of all of the chains being in lateral alinement' and the lugs of the intermediate chains being permanently higher than the lugs of the said main chains,

15. In a machine for folding blanks and apply- ,ing sections of tape thereto, a support for a supply reel of tape, means for drawing-the tape from the reel and effecting an accumulation thereof, means for drawing the tape from said accumulation to be cut into sections and applied to folded blanks, and means controlled by said accumulation for starting and stoppin the means for drawing the tape from its supply reel.

16. In a machine for folding blanks and applying sections of tape thereto, a support for a supply reel of tape, a pivoted support for anaccumulation of tape, feed mechanism for drawing tape from the reel and depositing it on said piv-- oted support, a second feed mechanism for drawing tape from said pivoted support, and means connected with the pivoted support for controlling the flrst-mentioned feed mechanism.

17. In a machine for folding blanks and applying sections of tape thereto, a support for a supply reel of tape, a pivoted support for an accumulation of tape, feed mechanism for drawing tape form the reel and depositing it on said pivoted support, a second feed mechanism for drawing tape from said pivoted support, an electric magnet for controlling the first-mentioned feed mechanism, and a switch for the circuit of said magnet, said switch being actuated by the whereby moisture is applied to the sections only after they are cut, and means for automatically controlling the operation of the feeding roll by the approach of a blank to have a tape section applied to it.

19. In 'amachine having means for folding blanks to flat condition with abutting edges, means for securing said edges together by means of adhesive tape. said means including a tape-feeding roll, a tape-severing knife, means for moistenmg each section after it is cut to proper length,

means being provided for adjusting the timing of 1 operation of the feeding roll to vary the lengths of the cut sections of tape, and means for autoniatically controlling the operation of the feeding roll by the approach of a blank to have a tape section applied to it. a V

20. In a machine having means for folding blanks to flat condition with abutting edges, means for securing said edges together by means of adhesive tape, said means including a tapefeeding roll, a tape-severing knife, means for moistening each section after it is cut to proper length, means being provided for operating the I feed of the tape in timed relationship with the travel of each folded blank to be taped, and

- means including a yieldable member in the path of blanks approaching the feeding roll for controlling the operation of said rolls.

21. In a machine. for folding corrugated paper,

blanks, a holder for a pile of blanks, blank-carrying means mounted to travel under said pile holder, and means for urging downward both the front and rear edges of the lower blanks of the pile.

22. Ina machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, a holder for a pile of blanks, blank-carrying'means mounted to travel under said pile holder, and means for urging downward both the front and rear edges of the lower blanks of the pile,

the urging means for the front edges of the blank comprising a vertically movable slide having a serrated block yieldingly carried by its lower end.

23. In a machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, a holder for a pile of blanks, blank-carrying means mounted to travel under said pile holder, and means for urging downward both the front and rear edges of thelower blanks of the pile,

the urging means for the rear edges of the blanks I comprising frictionally-driven rolls.

, 24. In a machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, a holder for a pile of blanks, blank-carrying means mounted to travel under said pil-e holder, and means for urging downward both the front and rear edges of the lower blanks of the pile, the urging means for the rear edges of the blanks being adjustable relatively to the urging means for the front edges. g

25. .In amachine for folding corrugated paper blanks, a holder for a pile of blanks, blank-forwarding chains provided with pushing lugs comprising frictionally-driven rolls each of which is directly above the line of travel of a lug-carrying chain.

26. In a machine for folding corrugated paper blanks, a holder for a pile of blanks, blank-forwarding chains provided with pushing lugs mounted to travel under said pile-holder, frictionally-driven rolls above said chains to urge downward the rear edges of the blanks, and gearing between said rolls and chains to'eifect actuation of saidrolls by the chains.

27. A blank folding machine having carriers for the blanks, folders for turning side portions of the blanks toward each other, mechanism for temporarily arresting the carriers during operative movement of the folders, and stationary inclined guides in position to urge the folded side portions of the blanks forward.

MELVIN H. SIDEBOTHAM. 

